Skincare enthusiasts in the West may have looked at medicine cabinets and beauty counters full of exfoliants and retinols and wondered where those extra steps could be coming from and what they could offer.

Taiwanese American skincare blogger Jude Chao (aka Fifty Shades of Snail or @fiddysnails) is a convert who discovered K-beauty after dipping her toes into the Skincare Addiction subreddit.

She explains, “The ‘Korean 10-step skincare routine is a shorthand for the concept of the long, multilayered skincare routine that K-beauty popularized all over the world. In contrast to the conventional three-step cleanser-toner-moisturizer routine that many of us grew up with, the ‘10-step skincare routine’ incorporates products like essences, serums, ampoules, and sheet masks into it.”

While there are some variations, the 10-step routine follows this order:

1. oil-based cleanser
2. foaming or water-based cleanser
3. exfoliator (only 1 or 2 times a week)
4. toner
5. essence
6. serum or ampoule
7. sheet mask
8. eye cream
9. moisturizer
10. sun protection, if it’s daytime

Phew.

Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed there’s a greater focus on hydration than on exfoliation, which is more common in a Western routine. But Chao reminds us that it’s not one-size-fits-all.

“What any one person’s skincare routine emphasizes is very dependent on the person. The flexibility of the concept is what’s so great for so many people. Personally, I do front-load my routine with some AHA, BHA, and tretinoin. Then the hydrating and nourishing steps follow — they’ve helped a ton in preventing or mitigating side effects like dryness and irritation that can often result from using strong actives. My routine, like many others, is a hybrid of both Asian and Western products.”

You don’t have to stick strictly to 10 steps to follow this routine, either. The many-layered approach may be just what your skin has been waiting for, or it could be too much and clog your pores.